Freshness preserving food container

ABSTRACT

A container for preserving the freshness of a stored food product is disclosed. The container has a receptacle with a piston and seal arrangement that creates a variable volume for food storage. A vent and seal arrangement allows for the removal of air as the piston is oved within the receptacle to reduce the volume within. A removable engaging member pushes the piston upward in order to reduce the inner volume of the container as the food stored in the container is consumed. This reduction in space and associated removal of air inhibit the oxidation and spoilage of many popular foods such as guacamole. With the engaging member removed, the container is also useful for serving the stored food product. t.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/449,813 filed on Mar. 3, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,233,008 issued onMar. 19, 2019, which is a continuation in part of application S. No.15/247,573 filed on Aug. 25, 2016, which is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 14/514,903 filed on Oct. 15, 2014, which claimspriority or U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/906,056 filed onNov. 19, 2013.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/247,573 filed Aug. 25, 2016 entitled “Stay-Fresh FoodContainer” by Sharon Lonner et al., which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/514,903 filed Oct. 15, 2014 entitled“Stay-Fresh Food Container”, which claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/906,056 filed on Nov. 19, 2013 the entiredisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to food storage containers, and moreparticularly to a container with a variable inner volume for preservingfreshness of on easily oxidized food while also providing for storageand serving functionality.

2. Description of Related Art

Not all food products that are made or purchased are consumedimmediately. This necessitates a suitable storage device for the foodproduct surplus. In addition, many in the culinary arts or simply thosethat create food products require a suitable storage device to preservetheir creations. Modern storage devices are often bowls, canisters,boxes, and variously sized and shaped containers. Many of thesecontainers have lids to enclose the created food product to preventspills and spoilage. While such storage devices are perfectly suited tomany food products, the air contained within these storage devicesduring use can contribute to faster degradation and spoilage of the foodproduct stored within. Many food products that are vegetable or fruitbased, or even meat based, will not only dry out when exposed to air,they will also discolor and break down, making the food product lessdesirable or even inedible. An example of such a food product thatdegrades rapidly is the presence of air is guacamole, an avocado basedspread or dip that has become very popular in recent years, and is wellstated for accompanying chips and Mexican dishes, often being servedwith corn chips of various shapes and recipes. Guacamole is notoriousfor turning an unpleasant brown color at the surface when exposed toair. If the prepared guacamole is stored in many of the food storagecontainers that are readily available today, the entrapped air in thefood storage container quickly results in discoloration and breakdown ofthe guacamole that in turn results in spoilage and waste. This problemof food degradation is often caused by rapid oxidation of variouscomponents of the food product. Large commercial food processors willoften use vacuum packaging or nitrogen packaging to provide longer shelflife for their products. While such systems work well, they aretypically expensive and not very applicable to a home kitchenenvironment. In addition, they are not well suited to many food productssuch as dips or spreads.

What is therefore needed is a container that preserves the freshness ofan easily oxidized food product, is easy to use and cost effective. Itis thus an object of the present invention to provide a container thatpreserves the freshness of an easily oxidized food.

These and other objects of the present invention are not to beconsidered comprehensive or exhaustive, but rather, exemplary of objectsthat may be ascertained after reading this specification and claims withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a containerfor preserving the freshness of a stored food product, the containercomprising a generally cylindrical receptacle having a first open end,an opposing second open end and an inner diameter; a piston having anupper surface and an exterior diameter that is slightly less than theinterior diameter of the generally cylindrical receptacle to allow forplacement of the piston within the generally cylindrical receptacle toform a food storage chamber of variable volume; a lower surface of thepiston defined by a cylindrical recess; an upper support surface thatcovers the piston; a peripheral wiper seal that creates a generally airand liquid tight seal between the exterior diameter of the piston andthe interior diameter of the generally cylindrical receptacle; agenerally cylindrical engaging member having an exterior diameter thatis less than the interior diameter of the generally cylindricalreceptacle and a coupling with a diameter that is less than the externaldiameter of the generally cylindrical engaging member and with thecoupling capable of engaging within the cylindrical recess of the lowersurface of the piston to allow for movement of the piston in thegenerally cylindrical receptacle in order to vary the volume of theformed food storage chamber; a lid that is removably securable to thefirst open end of the generally cylindrical receptacle; and a ventlocated on the lid.

The foregoing paragraph has been provided by way of introduction, and isnot intended to limit the scope of the invention as described in thisspecification, claims and the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described by reference to the following drawings,in which like numerals refer to like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a freshness preserving food container ofthe preset invention with a removable engaging member to place;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the freshness preserving food containerwith the engaging member removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the freshness preserving food containerof the present invention with the engaging member compressing the foodstorage volume;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the freshness preserving food containerof the present invention with the food storage volume compressed and theengaging member removed;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the freshness preserving food container;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the freshness preserving food container;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the freshness preserving food container;

FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the freshness preserving food container;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the freshness preserving foodcontainer taken along line B-B of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the piston of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the piston of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 12 is a side plan view of the piston of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the piston of the freshnesspreserving food container taken along line C-C of FIG. 13;

FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the piston of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the upper support surface and seals ofthe freshness preserving food container;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the upper support surface and seals of thefreshness preserving food container;

FIG. 17 is a side plan view of the upper support surface and seals ofthe freshness preserving food container;

FIG. 18 is a bottom plan view of the upper support surface end seals ofthe freshness preserving food container;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the cylindrical receptacle of thefreshness preserving food container;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the cylindrical receptacle of thefreshness preserving food container;

FIG. 21 is a side view of the cylindrical receptacle of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the cylindrical receptacle of thefreshness preserving food container taken along line D-D of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a bottom plan view of the cylindrical receptacle of thefreshness preserving food container;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the engaging member of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 25 is a bottom plan view of the engaging member of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 26 is a side plan view of the engaging member of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 27 is a cross sectional view of the engaging member of thefreshness preserving food container taken along line E-E of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a top plan view of the engaging member of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the lid of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 30 is a top plan view of the lid of the freshness preserving foodcontainer;

FIG. 31 is a side plan view of the lid of the freshness preserving foodcontainer;

FIG. 32 is a bottom plan view of the lid of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a latch of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 34 is a top plan view of a latch of the freshness preserving foodcontainer;

FIG. 35 is a bottom plan view of a latch of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 36 is a side view of a latch of the freshness preserving foodcontainer;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the lever cap of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 38 is a top plan view of the lever cap of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 39 is an end view of the lever cop of the freshness preserving foodcontainer;

FIG. 40 is a side plan view of the lever cap of the freshness preservingfood container;

FIG. 41 is a bottom plan view of the lever cap of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of the sealing plug of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 43 is a side plan view of the sealing plug of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 44 is a bottom plan view of the sealing plug of the freshnesspreserving food container;

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing plug of the freshnesspreserving food container taken along line F-F of FIG. 44;

FIG. 46 is a perspective view of the annular sealing ring of thefreshness preserving food container; and

FIG. 47 is a plan view of the annular sealing ring of the freshnesspreserving feed container.

The attached figures depict various views of the present invention insufficient detail to allow one skilled in the art to make and use thepresent invention. These figures are exemplary, and depict a preferredembodiment; however, it will be understood that there is no intent tolimit the invention to the embodiment depicted herein. On the contrary,the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalentsas may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by this specification, claims and drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A Freshness Preserving Food Container is described and depicted by wayof this specification and the attached drawings.

For a general understanding of the present invention, reference is madeto the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been usedthroughout to designate identical elements.

The present invention and the various embodiments described and depictedherein, provides, among other things, a novel device for extending thestorage life of a food product, providing a variable volume food storageand serving container that reduces or eliminates the oxidation of manyfood products that makes them aesthetically undesirable or inedible.

It should first be noted that the freshness preserving food containermay preferably be made from any plastic suitable for food storage, butmay also be made from glass, stainless steel, ceramic, or the like.Plastics should be FDA grade, and may include, for example,polypropylene. The various components of the freshness preserving foodcontainer may be made by injection molding, blow molding, casting, 3Dprinting, extruding, forming, machining, and the like.

FIGS. 1-4 show perspective views of the freshness preserving foodcontainer. Taken collectively, these figures also depict the variousin-use stales of the freshness preserving food container to also allowone to fully appreciate how to use the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the freshness preserving food container100 with a removable engaging member 113 in place. One can see thepiston 103 in a downward position, allowing for maximum volume withinthe freshness preserving feed container 100.

The freshness preserving food container 300 has essentially a moveablebottom in the form of a piston 103 and related upper support surface 105and peripheral wiper seals 107 and 109. A generally cylindricalreceptacle 101 forms the walls of the container 100 and has a first openend, an opposing second open end and an inner diameter. The first openend is the end that is generally upward when in use, and retains the lid117. The generally cylindrical receptacle may, in some embodiments ofthe present invention, be made from a clear plastic or clear polymersuch as a copolyester to allow viewing of the food product within thecontainer 100. Viewing of the food product allows the user to determineif the inner volume of the container 100 has been reduced sufficientlyto remove any remaining airspace within the container 100 that couldcause degradation of the stored food product. It should be noted thatthe figures provided herein are depicted with a clear cylindricalreceptacle, and the inner components such as the piston 103, engagingmember 113, and upper support surface 105 are clearly visible as aresult.

Forming the bottom of the freshness preserving food container 100 ispiston 103 having an upper surface and an exterior diameter that isslightly less than the interior diameter of the generally cylindricalreceptacle to allow for placement of the piston 103 within the generallycylindrical receptacle 101 to form a food storage chamber of variablevolume. The piston 103, as later described, has a lower surface orunderside that is defined by a cylindrical recess. This recess, whichwill become evident in subsequent figures, allows the engaging member113 to couple with and evenly move the piston 103 within the cylindricalreceptacle 101. The piston 103 may be made from a plastic that ispreferably food safe. Ridges 111 may optionally be present around theperiphery of the piston 103 to provide alignment of the piston 103within the generally cylindrical receptacle. The piston 103 may alsohave a peripheral groove, recess, or similar feature to allow forretention of an upper support surface 105. The upper support surface 105covers the piston to provide not only a removable cover for cleaningpurposes, but also to form seals around the periphery of the coveredpiston that create a generally air and liquid tight seal between theexterior diameter of the piston and the interior diameter of thegenerally cylindrical receptacle. In FIG. 1 and subsequent figures, afirst peripheral wiper seal 107 and a second peripheral wiper seal 109can be seen. The upper support surface 105 and the associated wiperseals 107 and 109 are mad from a soft durometer material such as arubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or a silicone composition to conform toand cover the piston 103 and to allow the wiper seals 107 and 109 tocreate a moveable or slideable seal with the wall of the cylindricalreceptacle 101. The upper support surface 105 also has an innerprotrusion, ridge, wall or the like that engages with a peripheralchannel or groove in the piston 103 for retention thereof.

Also seen in FIG. 1 is a generally cylindrical engaging member 113having an exterior diameter that is less than the interior diameter ofthe generally cylindrical receptacle 101 and a coupling (see FIG. 5,503) with a diameter that is less than the external diameter of thegenerally cylindrical engaging member 113 and with the coupling 503capable of engaging within the cylindrical recess of the lower surfaceof the piston 103 to allow for movement of the piston 103 in thegenerally cylindrical receptacle 101 is order to vary the volume of theformed food storage chamber. The cylindrical engaging member 113 mayalso have ridges 115 for alignment of the cylindrical engaging member113 with the cylindrical receptacle 101 such that the piston 103receives the cylindrical engaging member 113 and is properly alignedwhen in use.

A lid 117 can also be seen that is removably securable to the first openend of the generally cylindrical receptacle. The lid 117 may have aplurality of latches such as the first latch 119, the second latch 121and the third latch 123. The latches may have a pin or other featurethat engages with a feature on the lid 117 such as a socket or receiver.In FIG. 1, a first retention socket 125 and a second retention socket127 can be seen that hingeably connect the latch to the lid.

A vest is located on the lid 117 to allow the release of air when thepiston 103 travels upward to reduce the inner volume of the freshnesspreserving food container 100. The vent 513 can be seen to FIG. 5. InFIG. 1, the vent 513 is covered by a lever cap 129 that has a seal toplug the vent once the inner volume of the freshness preserving foodcontainer 100 has been reduced by movement of the piston 103.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the freshness preserving food container100 with the engaging member 113 removed. The engaging member 113 can beremoved when the freshness preserving food container 100 is in use. Asnug but easily removable fit between the coupling of the engagingnumber 113 and the underside of the piston 103 allows for ease of pistontravel while maintaining the alignment necessary for the piston 103 toreduce the inner volume of the freshness preserving food container 100without becoming skewed or otherwise misaligned within the cylindricalreceptacle 101.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the freshness preserving food container100 with the engaging member 113 in place and coupled with the piston103 to compress or otherwise reduce the food storage volume throughinward travel of the piston into the cylindrical receptacle 101.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the freshness preserving food container100 with the food storage volume compressed or otherwise reduced and theengaging member 113 removed. This position would be typical of asituation where the food product being stored has been mostly consumedor there is only a small amount of food left in the freshness preservingfood container.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the freshness preserving food container100. While the way in which the various components are assembled isevident by this figure and the accompanying figures, a furtherdescription of some of the aspects of the present invention that may nothave been visible in previous figures is provided. The cylindricalreceptacle 101 may have a peripheral flange 501 at the first open end ofthe generally cylindrical receptacle 101. The peripheral flange 501 isan outward flare that serves to receive and property sent the lid 117.The lid itself may have a recess or depression around the lowerperiphery of the lid 117 that may also contain an annular sealing ring517. The annular sealing ring is s soft durometer material that servesas a gasket. The peripheral flange 501 may also serve as a retentionedge for the latches 119, 121 and 123 to grab or otherwise engage with.

The coupling 503 of the engaging member 113 can be seen clearly. Thecoupling 503 in one embodiment is a reduced diameter portion of theengaging member 113 with a diameter sufficient to engage with theunderside or a cylindrical recess of the lower surface of the piston103. The coupling 503 cylindrically mates with the piston 103 in orderto allow a user to push the piston 103 upward, thus reducing the innervolume of the freshness preserving food container 100. The coupling 503,part of the engaging member 113, transitions from the coupling 503 tothe engaging member body with a step, edge or transition that allows thecoupling 503 to only be inserted a given distance into the hollowunderside cylindrical recess of the piston 503. This step or transitionensures that the engaging member 113 is inserted far enough to uniformlypush the piston 103, but not so far that the removal of the engagingmember 113 from the piston 103 is difficult. An insertion of thecoupling from ¼ to ½ of the overall height of the piston 103 is anexample of a preferred embodiment. The coupling flange 507 also easesthe insertion and removal of the engaging member 113 with the piston103, as the coupling flange 507 is configured radially inward to easethe diameter of the coupling flange 507 when it is first inserted intothe underside of the piston 103. Coupling ridges 505 may also be seenaround the periphery of the coupling 503 to facilitate alignment andremovable coupling of the engaging member 113 with the piston 103. Insome embodiments of the present invention, a coupling flange 507 may bepresent. The coupling flange 507 provides structural rigidity to theengaging member 113 and also softens an otherwise sharp edge.

As previously disclosed, the piston 103 may also contain a groove,recess, or slot to accommodate a feature on the upper support surface105 that serves to retain the upper support surface 105 to the piston103. Such a groove or recess may be bounded by a first peripheral guide509 and a second peripheral guide 511.

A vent 513 can also be seen centered in the lid 117. In some embodimentsof the present invention, the lid 117 is outwardly convex, with the vent513 centered at the apex. This allows a stored food product to moveupward while being compressed radially inward, removing air andpreventing trapped air that could otherwise occur with a flat lid.

Once the piston 103 has traveled upward to reduce the inner volume ofthe freshness preserving food container with the vent open (lever cap127 open), the lever cap 127 is pushed downward onto the lid 117. Asealing plug 515 is attached to the underside of the lever cap 129 suchthat it engages with and seals the vent 513.

FIGS. 6-9 depict further views of the freshness preserving foodcontainer 100. FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the freshness preservingfood container 100. The lever cap 129 can be seen in the closedposition. The lever cap 129 is hingeably connected to the lid with pinsthat engage with retention sockets, similar to the way in which thelatches are connected to the lid.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the freshness preserving food container100. The engaging member 113 can be seen along with the underside of thepiston 103. The engaging member 113 is a cylindrical element with no topor bottom, which allows the underside of the piston to be visible. Thelatches 119, 121 and 123 can be seen in the closed (latched) positionwith a curved face engaging with the peripheral flange 501 (see FIG. 5).

FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the freshness preserving food container.The latches can he seen in the down (closed) position, resulting in anattached and sealed lid.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the freshness preserving foodcontainer taken along line B-B of FIG. 8. The coupling 503 of theengaging member 113 can be clearly seen engaging with the piston 103.The outwardly convex shape of the lid 117 is also evident, along withthe lever cap 129 and sealing plug arrangement that engages with andplugs the vent 513 of the lid 117.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the piston 103 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100. The first peripheral guide 509 and thesecond peripheral guide 511 can be seen forming a channel to receive theupper support surface 105, and in particular a peripheral protrusion,flange, or relief feature of the upper support surface 105.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the piston 103 of the freshness preservingfood container 100. The surface is generally flat to receive the uppersupport surface 105, but may, in some embodiments, be convex, concave,or the like.

FIG. 13 is a side plan view of the piston 103 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100. A slight variation in diameter betweenthe first peripheral guide 509 and the second peripheral guide 511 canbe seen, to provide, among other things, ease of insertion of the piston103 and attached upper support surface 105 into the cylindricalreceptacle 101.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the piston 103 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100 taken along line C-C of FIG. 12. The crosshatching denotes material, showing the hollow underside that receivesthe engaging member 113 when in use.

FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the piston 103 of the freshnesspreserving food container 101 showing the hollow cylindrical undersidethat receives the engaging member 113 when in use.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the upper support surface 105 and seals107 and 109 of the freshness preserving food container. The uppersupport surface covers the piston 103 (not shown) and is made from asoft durometer material such as a silicone rubber, rubber orthermoplastic elastomer, or the like. The seals 107 and 109 protrudeperipherally outward and may have a slight angle or curve to facilitateease of entry of the piston 103 into the cylindrical receptacle 101.This also makes the piston uni-directional, allowing for ease of entryand difficult removal. In this arrangement, the peripheral wiper seals107 and 109 are angled or curved to follow the direction of entry of thepiston 103 into the cylindrical receptacle 101. The seals preventmigration of food, liquid or solid, from the freshness preserving foodcontainer 100 to the outside environment and also prevent the unwantedentry of air into the inner volume of the freshness preserving foodcontainer 100.

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the upper support surface 105 and seals107 and 109 of the freshness preserving food container 100. FIG. 17 is aside plan view of the upper support surface 105 and seals 107 and 109 ofthe freshness preserving food container 100. A slight downward curve ofthe seals can be seen in FIG. 17. While not pronounced, the peripheralwiper seals 107 and 109 become thinner toward their outer edge. When theupper support surface 105 and associated peripheral wiper seals 107 and109 are placed on the piston 103 (see FIG. 1) and installed in thecylindrical receptacle 101, they will take on a more pronounced downwardangle or curve that in turn facilitates improved sealing. This downwardcurve or “mushrooming” is the result of the upper support surface andseal combination being of a greater diameter than the inner diameter(s)of the cylindrical receptacle 101.

FIG. 18 is a bottom plan view of the upper support surface 105 and seals107 and 109 of the freshness preserving food container 100. Theunderside or bottom surface is recessed, hollow or otherwise concave toaccommodate placement on the piston 103.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the cylindrical receptacle 101 of thefreshness preserving food container 100. The peripheral flange 501 canbe seen protruding outwardly from the cylinder itself. The cylindricalreceptacle forms the walls of the freshness preserving food container100 with the piston 103 serving as a bottom that can vary indisplacement and result in varying inner volume of the freshnesspreserving food container. The lid 117 is secured by cooperativeengagement with the peripheral flange 501.

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the cylindrical receptacle 101 of thefreshness preserving food container 100 showing the outwardly protrudingperipheral flange 501. FIG. 21 is a side view of the cylindricalreceptacle 101 of the freshness preserving food container 100. Theperipheral flange 501 can be seen as a generally square or rectangularprotrusion, in some embodiments with a slight recess on the underside,as more clearly seen in FIG. 22, which is a cross-sectional view of thecylindrical receptacle 101 of the freshness preserving food container100 taken along line D-D of FIG. 21.

It should be noted that in some preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, the inner diameter of the cylindrical receptacle 101 isslightly wider at the bottom than at the top. This can be seen in FIG.22 where the wall thickness of the cylindrical receptacle 101 issomewhat reduced toward the bottom. Such a taper or gradual variation indiameter changes the draft angle of the wiper seals interaction with thecylindrical receptacle 101. Thus, as the piston 103 (see FIG. 1) ispushed upward by the engaging member 113, the peripheral wiper seals 107end 109 (again, see FIG. 1) become tighter and more secure, preventingthe stored food product from migrating outside of the formed storagearea, and also preventing the piston from becoming skewed or otherwisemisaligned in the cylindrical receptacle 101.

FIG. 23 is a bottom plan view of the cylindrical receptacle 101 of thefreshness preserving food container 100. The cylindrical receptacle 101may be made from any suitable material such as a plastic. In someembodiments of the present invention, the cylindrical material is clearor opaque and is made from such a suitable material such as a clearplastic or clear polymer such as a copolyester.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the engaging member 113 of thefreshness preserving food container 100. The engaging member 113 havingbeen previously described as having a coupling 503 to engage with thepiston 103 while the freshness preserving food container is in use. Theengaging member also may have ridges 115, which may protrude outward andhave a flush interior joining surface, or the interior surface may berecessed or otherwise follow the outer contour of the ridges 115. Theremay also, in some embodiments of the present invention, be couplingridges 505 to facilitate insertion and removal of the coupling 503 ofthe engaging member 113.

FIG. 25 is a bottom plan view of the engaging member 113 of thefreshness preserving feed container 100. The engaging member 113 in oneembodiment is a cylinder of varying diameter (to create the coupling503) without a top or bottom surface.

FIG. 26 is a side plan view of the engaging member of the freshnesspreserving food container that clearly shows the coupling 503 and thestep or edge created at the transition of the engaging member 113 andthe coupling 503. FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the engagingmember 113 of the freshness preserving food container 100 taken alongline E-E of FIG. 26. The structure of the coupling 503 can be clearlyseen. FIG. 28 is a top plan view of the engaging member 113 of thefreshness preserving food container 100. The various transitions indiameter to create the coupling and peripheral flange, for example, canbe clearly seen.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the lid 117 of the freshness preservingfood container 100. The retention sockets for the latches (not shown)can be seen as well as the vent 513 that is shown by example as acircular hole at the center point of the lid 117. The lid also, in thisembodiment depicted, is convex with the vent 513 at the apex or peak ofthe convex lid. FIG. 30 is a top plan view of the lid 117 of thefreshness preserving food container 100. A double set of retentionsockets can be seen to the left of the drawing to accommodate the levercap 129 as well as a latch (neither are shown in FIG. 29, see FIG. 1).FIG. 31 is a side plan view of the lid 117 of the freshness preservingfood container 100. The convex shape of the lid 117 can be seen in thisview, with the vent 513 at the apex.

FIG. 32 is a bottom plan view of the lid 117 of the freshness preservingfood container 109. A channel formed by two peripheral walls can be seenaround the outer perimeter of the bottom view of the lid 117. An annularsealing ring 517 (see FIG. 46 and FIG. 5) is retained in this channelend serves to seal the lid 117 to the cylindrical receptacle 101 toprovide an air and liquid tight seal.

FIGS. 33-36 depict various views of the latch that is mounted toretention sockets on the lid 117 to facilitate retention and sealing ofthe lid 117 to the cylindrical receptacle 101. FIG. 33 is a perspectiveview of the latch of the freshness preserving food container 100. Whilea first latch 119, a second latch 121 and a third latch 123 ore depictedherein, other combinations, quantities and configurations of latches areconsidered within the spirit and broad scope of the present invention asdescribed, depicted and envisioned herein. The latch has a curvedsurface to engage with and retain the peripheral flange 501 of thecylindrical receptacle 101. The curved surface may also have a lip oredge so facilitate engagement with the peripheral flange 501. A roller3305 is connected to or formed with the latch and comprises a first pin3301 and a second pin 3303 on opposing ends. These pins engage with, endarc retained by, the retention sockets on the lid, such as the firstretention socket 125 and the second retention socket 127 that cars beseen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 34 is a top plan view of a latch of the freshness preserving foodcontainer 100. FIG. 35 is a bottom plan view of a latch of the freshnesspreserving food container 100. FIG. 36 is a side view of a latch of thefreshness preserving food container 100 that shows the lip or edge onthe curved surface and the overall structure of the latch necessary forengagement with the cylindrical receptacle 101 by cooperativeinteraction with the peripheral flange 501.

The lever cap 129 is hingeably connected to the lid 117 and serves tofacilitate ease of sealing and removal of the vent plug with the vent513 of the lid 117. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the lever cap 129of the freshness preserving food container 100. Similar to the latchesof the present invention, the lever cop 129 has a roller 3705 with afirst pin 3701 at a first end of the roller 3705 and a second pin 3703at a second end of the roller 3705. The pins engage with retentionsockets on the lid 117, as seen and described in FIG. 30, for example,and as depicted in FIGS. 1-5. The lever cap 129 has a curve to contourwith the convex surface of the lid 117, and also a flare at the far end(non-roller end) to facilitate ease of use.

FIG. 38 is a top plan view of the lever cap 129 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100 showing a curved and contoured end to lendboth aesthetic value as well as functionality to the lever cap 129. FIG.39 is an end view of the lever cap 129 of the freshness preserving foodcontainer 100. A downward protruding sealing plug retainer can be seen,and is more clearly seen in FIG. 41 as the sealing plug retainer 4101.FIG. 40 is a side plan view of the lever cap 129 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100 where the contour and the upwardly shapedend can be clearly seen. FIG. 41 is a bottom plan view of the lever cup129 of the freshness preserving food container 100. The sealing plugretainer 4101, a barbed or otherwise variably shaped protrusion to holda soft durometer sealing plug 515 (see FIG. 5 as well as FIGS. 42-45).

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of the sealing plug 515 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100. The sealing plug 515 is configured topush on and attach to the sealing plug retainer 4101 (see FIG. 41). FIG.43 is a side plan view of the sealing plug 515 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100, showing ridges to facilitate retentionand a taper to facilitate ease of placement in the vent 513.

FIG. 44 is a bottom plan view of the sealing plug 515 of the freshnesspreserving food container 100. FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of thesealing plug 515 of the freshness preserving food container 100 takenalong line F-F of FIG. 44. The cavity or recess to accommodate placementon the sealing plug retainer 4101 of the lever cap 129 can be seen.

To create a liquid and air tight seal of the lid 117 to the cylindricalreceptacle 101, an annular sealing ring 517 is placed in a channel thatis formed on the underside of the lid. This channel is formed by twoperipheral walls around the outer perimeter of the bottom view of thelid 117, as evident by FIG. 32. FIG. 46 is a perspective view of theannular sealing ring 517 of the freshness preserving food container 100.The annular sealing ring may be a square or rectangular extrusion formedinto a ring. Suitable soft durometer materials such as a rubber,silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or the like may be employed.Lastly, FIG. 47 is a plan view of the annular sealing ring 517 of thefreshness preserving food contains 100.

To use the freshness preserving food container 100, a perishable foodproduct such as guacamole is placed in the inner volume of the containerwith the piston 103 fully downward to create maximum inner volume of thecontainer. The lid 117 is placed in position and latched down into placewith the lever cap 129 open to allow venting. The engaging member 113 isplaced within the underside of the freshness preserving food container100 and inserted in the underside of the piston 103. The engaging member113 is then pushed into the cylindrical receptacle 101 such that thepiston 103 travels further into the cylindrical receptacle 101, reducingthe inner volume of the freshness preserving food container 100. Theengaging member 113 continues to push the piston 103 forward until thefood product reaches the top or apex of the lid 117. Once the foodproduct fully occupies the inner volume with no airspace, the lever cap129 is pushed downward such that the sealing plug that is attached tothe lever cap 129 engages with and is inserted into the vent 513. Theengaging member 113 can then be removed if desired, and the freshnesspreserving food container 100 stored in an appropriate location such asa refrigerator. When the food product is to be consumed, the lid 117 isremoved. To store any remaining food product left in the container, thelid is again secured, and the air removal process is repeated to readythe container for further storage and later use.

It is, therefore, apparent that there has been provided, in accordancewith the various objects of the present invention, a freshnesspreserving food container. While the various objects of this inventionhave been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments thereof,it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations willbe apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fallwithin the spirit and broad scope of this specification, claims and theattached drawings.

What is claimed is:
 1. A container for preserving the freshness of astored food product, the container comprising: a generally cylindricalreceptacle having a first open end, an opposing second open end and aninner diameter; a piston having an upper surface and an exteriordiameter that is slightly less than the interior diameter of thegenerally cylindrical receptacle to allow for placement of the pistonwithin the generally cylindrical receptacle to form a food storagechamber of variable volume; a lower surface of the piston defined by acylindrical recess; an upper support surface that covers the piston; aperipheral wiper seal that creates a generally air and liquid tight sealbetween the exterior diameter of the piston and the interior diameter ofthe generally cylindrical receptacle; a generally cylindrical engagingmember having an exterior diameter that is less than the interiordiameter of the generally cylindrical receptacle and a coupling with adiameter that is less than the external diameter of the generallycylindrical engaging member and with the coupling capable of engagingwithin the cylindrical recess of the lower surface of the piston toallow for movement of the piston in the generally cylindrical receptaclein order to vary the volume of the formed food storage chamber; a lidthat is removably securable to the first open end of the generallycylindrical receptacle; and a vent located on the lid.
 2. The containerfor preserving the freshness of a stored food product as recited inclaim 1, wherein the lid further comprises an annular scaling ring toform an air and liquid tight seal between the lid and the generallycylindrical receptacle.
 3. The container for preserving the freshness ofa stored food product as recited in claim 1, wherein the generallycylindrical receptacle further comprises a peripheral flange as thefirst open end of the generally cylindrical receptacle.
 4. The containerfor preserving the freshness of a stored food product as recited inclaim 1, wherein the lid further comprises a plurality of latchespositioned around a periphery of the lid.
 5. The container forpreserving the freshness of a stored food product as recited in claim 4,wherein the latches engage with the peripheral flange of the generallycylindrically receptacle to create a seal between the lid and thegenerally cylindrical receptacle.
 5. The container for preserving thefreshness of a stored food product as recited in claim 1, wherein theremovable upper support surface comprises a soft durometer material thatconforms to the piston.
 7. The container for preserving the freshness ofa stored food product as recited in claim 1, wherein the lid includes aconvex portion, and wherein the vent is centrally located at an apex ofthe convex portion.
 8. The container for preserving the freshness of astored food product as recited in claim 7, further comprising a levercap engageable with the vent to selectively seal the vent.
 9. Thecontainer for preserving the freshness of a stored food product asrecited in claim 8, wherein the lever cap is pivotally coupled to thelid.
 10. The container for preserving the freshness of a stored foodproduct as recited in claim 8, wherein the lever cap is formed with aflared edge to provide ease of opening.
 11. The container for preservingthe freshness of a stored food product as recited in claim 1, whereinthe peripheral wiper seal is formed with the upper support surface. 12.A container for preserving the freshness of a stored food product, thecontainer comprising: a generally cylindrical receptacle having a firstopen end, an opposing second open end and an inner diameter; a pistonhaving an upper surface and an exterior diameter that is slightly lessthan the interior diameter of the generally cylindrical receptacle toallow for placement of the piston within the generally cylindricalreceptacle to form a food storage chamber of variable volume; a lowersurface of the piston defined by a cylindrical recess; an upper supportsurface that covers the piston; a peripheral wiper seal that creates agenerally air and liquid tight seal between the exterior diameter of thepiston and the interior diameter of the generally cylindricalreceptacle; a generally cylindrical engaging member having an exteriordiameter that is less than the interior diameter of the generallycylindrical receptacle find a coupling with a diameter that is less thanthe external diameter of the generally cylindrical engaging member andwith the coupling capable of engaging within the cylindrical recess ofthe lower surface of the piston to move the piston in the generallycylindrical receptacle in order to vary the volume of the formed foodstorage chamber; the generally cylindrical lid comprising a convexportion; the generally cylindrical lid configured to be removablysecurable to the first open end of the generally cylindrical receptacle;and a vent located on the generally cylindrical lid and centrallylocated at an apex of the convex portion of the generally cylindricallid.
 13. The container for preserving the freshness of a stored foodproduct as recited in claim 12, wherein the lid further comprises anannular sealing ring to form an air and liquid tight seal between thelid and the generally cylindrical receptacle.
 14. The container forpreserving the freshness of a stored food product as recited in claim12, wherein the generally cylindrical receptacle further comprises aperipheral flange at the first open end of the generally cylindricalreceptacle.
 15. The container for preserving the freshness of a storedfood product as recited in claim 12, wherein the lid further comprises aplurality of latches positioned around a periphery of the lid.
 16. Thecontainer for preserving the freshness of a stored food product asrecited in claim 14, wherein the lid further comprises a plurality oflatches and wherein the latches engage with the peripheral flange of thegenerally cylindrically receptacle to create a seal between the lid andthe generally cylindrical receptacle.
 17. The container for preservingthe freshness of a stored food product as recited in claim 12, whereinthe removable upper support surface comprises a soft durometer materialthat conforms to the piston.
 18. The container for preserving thefreshness of a stored food product as recited in claim 12, wherein theperipheral wiper seal is formed with the upper support surface.
 19. Akit for creating a container for preserving the freshness of a storedfood produce, the kit comprising: a generally cylindrical receptaclehaving a first open end, an opposing second open end and an innerdiameter; a piston having an upper surface end an exterior diameter thatis slightly less than the interior diameter of the generally cylindricalreceptacle to allow for placement of the piston within the generallycylindrical receptacle to form a food storage chamber of variablevolume; a lower surface of the piston defined by a cylindrical recess;an upper support surface capable of removably covering the piston, theupper support surface comprising a peripheral wiper seal that creates agenerally air and liquid tight seal between the exterior diameter of thepiston and the interior diameter of the generally cylindrical receptaclewhen placed therein; a generally cylindrical engaging member saving anexterior diameter that is less than the interior diameter of thegenerally cylindrical receptacle and a coupling with a diameter that isis less than the external diameter of the generally cylindrical engagingmember and with the coupling capable of engaging within the cylindricalrecess of the lower surface of the piston to move the piston in thegenerally cylindrical receptacle in order to vary the volume of theformed food storage chamber; and a lid configured to be removablysecurable to the first open end of the generally cylindrical receptacle.20. The kit for creating a container for preserving the freshness of astored food product as recited in claim 19, wherein the lid has asealable vent.